Web guiding apparatus for corrugators



Jan. 13, 1970 r3` c. DENT 3,489,043

WEB GUIDING APPARATUS FOR CORRUGATORS Filed Oct. 25. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheetl KMX) QQ) INVENTCR.

' HG. @W uw Jan. 13, 1970 B. c. DENT 3,489,043

WEB GUIDING APPARATUS FOR CORRUGATORS Filed OC. 23, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet2 United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 83-9 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Apparatus for guiding streams of parallel moving Webs intohorizontally diverging paths from a slitter-scorer machine into atransverse cut-off knife in a corrugator comprising a plurality oftransversely-spaced slats pivoted at the exit nip of each work stationon the slitter-scorer of which selected ones of the slats' may bepositioned by the operator during set-up of the work station prior toits engagement with the web. Detents are employed to maintain the slatsin either of two positions selected. Supports are provided in alignmentwith both positions of the slats to receive and further guide thestreams into the cut-olf knife.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVIENTION i Field of the invention This inventionrelates generally to cutting and more particularly to a guide for movingwork in association with a rotary cutting tool.

Description of the prior art Conventional corrugating machines forproducing a web of corrugated paperboard include a slitter-scorermachine following the web-forming portion of the corrugator. Theslitter-scorer divides the web into two or more narrower streams ofcorrugated web and -forms two longitudinal score lines in each narrowerstream. These streams are guided into two or more transverse eutoffknives which cut the webs into selected length blanks.

The cut-off knives are generally arranged with one pair of cooperatingcutting rolls positioned above another pair. Each pair may be preset tocut different length blanks from the narrow stream guided into it.Therefore, it becomes necessary to guide one portion of the divided webinto the lower cut-off knife and the other portion into the luppercut-olf knife. Occasionally, three cut-off knives are provided to cutvarying length blanks from three streams of webs.

Of course, the initially formed web is not always divided into narrowerstreams of the same' width. Instead of stopping the` production of theweb to reposition the slitting and scoring heads on the slitter-scorerto form different widths, a second pair of cooperating slitting andscoring shafts are provided in the slitter-scorer. The slitting andscoring heads on the second pair of shafts are positioned by the machineoperator while the first pair is in engagement with the web. When anorder change occurs, the initially formed web is. transversely cut priorto reaching the slitter-scorer. The upstream portion of the web is `thenslowed down while the downstream portion continues at its normal pace.Thus, a gap is formed between the portions of the web. Before the slowportion of the web reaches the slitter-scorer, the latter is rotated tobring the second pair of shafts (Work station) into engagement with theweb.

Sometimes the slitter-scorer is provided with three work stations. Thethird station normally carries slitting heads for an often repeatedorder so that lfrequent repositioning is not necessary.

Conventionally, a plurality of transversely spaced slats are providedbetween the slitter-scorer and the cut-off ice knives. These slats arepositioned by the operator, during an order change, to guide one portionof the web to the lower knife and the other portion to the upper knife.The number of slats positioned to guide a stream to the upper knifedepends on the width of the web stream.

Conventional slats manually positioned by the machine operator are notsatisfactory because it is usually necessary to shut down the machine toallow enough time for positioning. Saunders et al. U.S. Patent N o.3,307,441, provides for the automatic positioning of the slats abouttheir upstream ends into horizontally diverging paths for guiding thenarrower web streams into the cut-off knives. Pivoting of the slats isperformed by fluid cylinders which are actuated by valves connected to acontrol station. The valves are energized by push buttons at the'control station. Pre-setting of the slats is accomplished by actuatingthe appropriate push button which is not energized until an order changeis initiated. The latter automatic system is expensive because of thenumerous controls required. Malfunction of the controls can result inexpensive down-time. Order control cards are usually required to enablethe operator to properly pre-set the machine.

SUMMARY The present invention provides for presetting of a set of slatsnot in use without the need for complex and expensive controls andproviding simple mechanical reliability.

In accordance with this invention, a set of slats is provided for eachwork station of the slitter-scorer machine, c g., if the slitter-scorerhas two work stations, two sets of slats are provided and if there arethree work stations, three sets of slats are provided. Thus, the sets ofslats are mutually exclusive. When one set is operating, the other isinoperative. The slats for the next Work station to be used arepositioned by the operator at the same time that he is positioning theslitting and scoring heads in the work station. The slats to bepositioned within the set are selected according to the position of theslitting heads which divide the web. When these heads are set, theoperator can easily visually determine which slats must be positionedwithout the need for control cards or the like.

The individual slats of each set are spaced across the width of theslitter-scorer just downstream from the exit nip formed by the slittingand scoring heads of the work station. The slats are pivotable abouttheir upstream ends so that their downstream ends form diverging pathsfor guiding the web. Thus, the slats to guide one of the streams may benearly horizontal while the others will be inclined to the horizontal.Detent means are provided for securing the slats in either of twopositions.

When the slitter-scorer is rotated during an order change, the presetwork station, including the set of slats, is brought into position yfordividing the oncoming web and guiding the narrower streams to therespective cut-' off knives. The slats are automatically aligned withsupport guides pivotably mounted adjacent the cut-off knives. Thus, thedivided streams are guided by the slats onto the appropriate supportguides and into the knives.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention willappear more fully from the following detailed description when the sameis read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to beexpressly understood, however, that the drawings are not intended as adefinition of the invention but are for the purpose of illustrationonly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings wherein like parts aremarked alike: FIGURE l is a side elevation illustrating a triplexslitterscorer, a duplex cut-off knife, and the sets of slats in theslitter-scorer of which the uppermost set is guiding a pair of narrowweb streams into the support guides. and into the cut-olf knife;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the slitter-scorer of FIGURE lillustrating in detail the detent means for securing the slats in firstand second positions;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the slitter-scorer of FIG- URE 1 illustratingthe transverse location of the slats; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of the slitter-scorerillustrating another construction of the detent means for securing theslats in position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED CONSTRUCTION In the preferred constructionof this invention, a set of slats is provided for each work station ofthe slitterscorer. Each set is identical so that a description of theset shown engaging the web will sufce for all, it Ibeing understood thatthe lowermost set is pre-set while the uppermost set is operating.

The slats are pivota-ble about a pivot bar 12 from a rst or lowerposition, see upper portion of FIGURE 2, to a second or upper inclinedposition. A detent assembly 14 secures the slats in the selectedposition. The slats in the lower position are aligned with a supportguide 16 which guides one of the narrow streams 18, see FIGURE 3, to thelower cut-off knife 20. The slats in the upper position are aligned witha support guide 22 which guides the other narrow stream 24 to the uppercut-off knife 26.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, pivot bar 12 spans the distance betweensub-frames 28a, 28b of the slitter-scorer and is secured thereto in anyconvenient manner. Slats 10 include a pivot bracket 30 secured to theirupstream ends and encircling pivot bar 12. Conventional shaft collars,not shown, may be placed around bar 12 on either side of bracket 30 torestrain the slats against lateral movement on bar 12.

Detent assembly 14 includes an L-shaped cross-mem-ber 32 secure tosub-frames 28a, 2812 in any convenient manner. Beneath each slat 10, adetent bar 34 is pivotably mounted to conventional clevis bracket 36 bya clevis pin 38. Clevis bracket 36 is secured to slat 10 by screws orthe like (not shown).

Detent bar 34 includes two notches 40 formed to engage one leg ofcross-member 32. The notches 40 are spaced so that when the upper notch40 engages member 32, the slat is positioned in the lower position. Whenthe lower notch 40 engages member 32, the slat is positioned in theupper position. A tension spring 42 connects detent bar 34 to one leg ofmember 32 to maintain notched engagement of the bar to the member.Spring 42 may have conventional open loops on its ends which are passedthrough a hole 44 in member 32 and a hole 46 in bar 34. Being flexible,the spring 42 will stretch to allow bar 42 to be in notched engagementin either position. Thus, it can be seen that to position the slats, itis necessary only to move detent bar 34 from one notched position to theother. It should be understood that other detent arrangements arecapable of positioning the slats in the desired position. The one shownis selected as a matter of convenience.

As best illustrated in FIGURE 1, the cut-olf knife is provided withsupport guides 16 and 22. Although these guides are illustrated asextending uninterrupted across the width of the cut-olf knife, they mayreadily be constructed as slats similar in nature to slats 10. However,as illustrated, the guides are pivotable about pins 48 in theside-frames 50 of the cut-olf knife. Support pins 52 are provided uponwhich the guides rest. Accordingly, guides 16 and 22 may be pivotedupward and out of the way to permit access to the cut-off knife ifrequired. The lower guide 16 may be made narrower than upper guide 22 sothat it will clear the upper pins 52 when pivoted upward. The lower pins52 will, of course be longer than the upper pins in order to support thenarrower lower guide 16. Both guides 16 and 22 may be pivoted past thevertical center of pinsy 48 until they rest against the cut-v olf knivesthemselves.

OPERATION In operation, referring to FIGURE l, a web A is fed to theslitter-scorer fromy a feed table 54. Web A is guided between shafts 56of work station 1 by a pair of guide rods 58 which not only guide theweb but connect subframes 28a, 28h. Shafts 56 have slitting heads 60mounted thereon for dividing web A into narrower streams 18 and 24.Trimming heads 62,see FIGURE 3, on shafts 56 trim the usually raggededges of web A. The trim 64 is disposed of yby feeding itinto a suctiontube (not shown) in the usual manner. Score heads 66 are also providedfor impressing score lines in the webs 18 and 24.

The slats 10 for work station` 1, having been positioned during aprevious' order, are in the correct upward and downward positions toguide webs 18 and 24 onto the respective support guides 16 and 22 andthereafter into the respective cut-off knives. The knives transverselycut the webs into thedesired lengths to form blanks 68 and 70 in thecustomary rnanner. Conveyors 72 and 74 are usually provided for removingthe blanks from the cutolf machine.

During the time that an order is running, the operator positions thetrimming, slitting, and scoring heads on shafts 56 of work station 2. Atthe same time, the appropriate slats 10 are placed in the upper or lowerposition.

For example, referring to FIGURE 3, all the slats to the left, lookingin the direction of paper travel, of slitting head 60 are raised to theupper position and the slats to the right are lowered to the lowerposition. Thus, it can be seen that all the slats to the left willsupport and guide along the work table 54 as previously described. Whenthe downstream portion of the web clears the slitterscorer, the latteris rotated to bring work station 2 into position for operating ori theweb. The slats, having been preset, are in position for guiding thestreams 18 and 24 onto the support guides 16 and 22.

Rotation of the slitter-scorer is accomplished in the conventionalmanner. The work stations 1, 2 and 3 are supported for driven rotationbetween sub-frames 28a. 28b. The sub-frames are supported on a centrallylocated trunnion shaft 76 which is in turn rotatably mounted instandards 78a, 78b. An enclosure 80 on standard 78b contains all theconventional drive motors, gears, indexing mechanisms and the like foroperating the slitter-scorer.

OTHER CONSTRUCTIONS The construction shown in FIGURE 2 can be modied tomake positioning of the slats more automatic if desired. Sucharrangement is shown in FIGURE 4 which illustrates the upper portion ofa slitter-scorer. In this construction, fluid cylinders 82, preferablypneumatic, are employed in place of the detent assembly 14. Cylinders 82are pivotably connected to thel underside of slats 10 by a conventionalclevis bracket 84 and pin 86. The opposite end of cylinders 82 arepivotably supported by a similar clevis 88 and pin 90 to a structuralangle 92 supported between sub-frames 28a, 28h. Air pressure is suppliedto cylinders 82 via conventional air lines and ttings 94 whichpreferably are connected to an air supply (not shown) through a port 96in trunnion shaft 76 which terminates in a conventional rotary union(not shown) on the end of shaft 76. This type of connection, well knownin the art, permits air pressure to be routed to cylinders 82 eventhough the sub-frames 26a, 2612 are rotated during changeover to anotherorder. Suitable operating valves connect the supply line 94 to each ofcylinders 82.

Thus, to position each slat from the iirst or lower position to thesecond or upper position, the operator need only actuate the appropriateoperating valve to extend the cylinder 82 thereby raising jslat 10.Cylinders 82 may be provided with a spring return l so that when theoperating valves are returned to the oiffposition, the cylinders willreturn the slats to the first or\lower position.

In summary, the present invent'ion p rovides a simple, economical, andeasily operated means for guiding a number of parallel moving webs intothe l respective cut-off knives in a corrugator. It possesses dependablemechanical reliability. Pre-setting of the slatsiis easily accomplishedwithout the need for control cards or the like. The apparatus can bereadily adaptedto t existing machines already placed in operation.

Having thus described the invention in its best embodiment and mode ofoperation, that which is desired to be claimed by Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1. Apparatus for guiding streams of parallel moving webs intohorizontally diverging paths, comprising:

a plurality of sets of slats ofr'which any one set is adapted foroperative engagement with said streams along the path of travel thereofwhile the remaining set is out of engagement with saidffstreams,

each of said sets including a plurality of slats spaced across the pathof travel of said streams during operative engagement therewith; `andff;

pivoting means for pivoting selectedones of said slats within theremaining set of slats out of engagement with said streams,

said selected ones of said slats being pivotable about their upstreamends to an inclined position for guiding one of said streams in ahorizontally diverging path with respect to the others of Vsaid streamswhen said remaining set of slats is placed in operative engagement withsaid streams. v

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pivoting means includes detentmeans associated with each of said slats operative to secure the slat ineither an up or down position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said detent means includes:

a cross-member secured beneath the downstream end of each of said setsof slats; and

a detent member secured to the underside of each of said slats adjacentsaid cross-member and having spaced rst and second engaging means forengaging said cross-member to position said slats in either of said upor down positions.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pivoting means includes:

fluid actuating means secured to each of said slats and operable topivot said slats in either an up or down position; and f means forenergizing selected ones of said uid actuating means.

5. 'Ihe apparatus of claim 1, and in addition:

rst and second support guides adjacent the downstream end of the set ofslats in operative engage ment with said streams, said' first supportguide in alignment with selected ones of said slats positioned in asubstantially horizontal path and said second support guide in alignmentwith the remaining ones of said slats, said lirst and second supportmeans guiding said streams of webs in horizontally diverging paths intosubsequent processing machinery.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said sup port guides ispivotably secured adjacent its downstream end whereby its leading endmay be positioned out of alignment with said slats.

7. In a slitter-scorer machine having at least two pairs of cooperatingshafts for dividing a moving web into streams of parallel moving webs,one of said pairs of shafts being4 operative upon the web while theother of said pairs is inoperative, the improvement comprising:

a first set of slats associated with one of said pairs of shafts;

a second set of slats associated with the other of said pairs of shafts,

each of said sets of slats having a plurality of slats spaced across thepath of travel of said streams of webs and each of said slats beingpivotable about its upstream end; and

pivoting means for pivoting selected ones of said slats in the set ofslats associated with the inoperative one of said pairs of shafts abouttheir upstream ends to an inclined position for guiding one of said'streams of webs in a horizontally diverging path with respect to othersof said streams when said inoperative pair of shafts is in the operativeposition. 8. Slitting and scoring apparatus for a paperboard web,comprising:

a pair of spaced frame members; a pair of spaced sub-frame members; aplurality of pairs of rotatably driven support shafts supported betweensaid sub-frame members;

cooperating slitting and scoring members on said support shafts fordividing and scoring said web as the web passes therebetween;

means journalling said sub-frame members for rotation between said framemembers for placing one of said pairs of support shafts in position tobring sai`d cooperating slitting and scoring members into operationengagement with said web; and

guide means associated with each of said pairs of support shafts forguiding divided -portions of said web into horizontally diverging paths,

each of said guide means including a plurality of transversely spacedslats underlying said divided portion of said web;

a pivot shaft supported between said sub-frame members adjacent thedownstream side of said slitting and Scoring members for said guidemeans about which selected ones of said slats are pivotable to aninclined position; and

detent means for securing the selected ones of said slats in saidinclined position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said detent means includes across-member secured beneath the downstream ends of said slats and adetent member secured to each of said slats adjacent said cross-member,said detent member having first and second engaging means adapted toengage said cross-member for securing each of said slats in a horizontalor inclined position.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 with:

support means adjacent the discharge end of the slats in operativeengagement with divided portions of said web, said support means adaptedto guide said divided portions of said web to different paths forprocessing by subsequent machinery.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/l956 Matthews et al. 83-302 X3/ 1967 Saunders et al 83-302 WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner

